This invention relates to a piston-and-connecting rod assembly, particularly for internal combustion engines. To the head of the connecting rod a piston pin is affixed which is supported in a bearing mounted centrally in the inner piston base approximately at the height of the compression piston rings held circumferentially on the piston skirt.
A great number of constructions are known where the piston is provided with two diametrically opposite bearing holes through which a piston pin extends which itself passes through an opening provided in the head of the connecting rod. In structures of this type it is not feasible to relocate the piston pin axially (with respect to the piston axis) to such an extent towards the piston bottom that the piston pin is situated radially adjacent a piston ring groove, because in such a case the bore holes in the piston skirt would pass through the piston ring grooves with the result that the piston rings can no longer perform their sealing function.
To avoid the above-outlined difficulty, it is known to make multi-part pistons. Thus, German Offenlegungsschrift (application published without examination) 32 35 220 discloses a piston which has a first part forming the piston body and the piston skirt and a second, inner part which forms a bearing (articulation) for a connecting rod. The second part has two cylindrical bore holes which are oriented perpendicularly to the piston axis and which serve as bearings for a piston pin. As a first step in assembling the piston, the second part is coupled with the connecting rod and thereafter the second part is secured to the piston bottom by means of screws. Thus, in such prior art arrangements several individual components have to be manufactured, assembled, fitted to one another and bolted together.